Lettuce lettuce

Lactuca sativa

Lettuce is a cool season crop and is tolerant of some frost (though not hard freezes). It gets bitter with hot temperatures, and in most places cannot be grown through the summer. Partial shade can extend the harvest through warmer weather.

Sow in early to mid spring for spring crops, or in late summer to harvest in fall.

Make successive plantings every few days to extend period of harvest.

Lettuce can be harvested either by removing the entire head, in which case the plant is finished, or by removing leaves from the outside and allowing the center to keep growing.

Lettuce belongs to the Lactuca genus.